Method of forming turnbuckles.



No. 794,944. PATENTED JULY 18, 1905. W. J. LAUGHLIN & F. A. CHRISTENSEN.

METHOD OF FORMING TURNBUGKLBS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET '1.

No. 794,944. PATENTED JULY 18, 1905- W. J. LAUG-HLIN & F. A. CHRISTENSEN.

METHOD OF FORMING TURNBUOKLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1904.

2 SHEETB SHBBT 2.

5% M i ,4 W

Q vi-tneooea:

UNITED STATES Patented July 18, 1905. I

PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER J. LAUGHLIN AND FREDERICK A. CHRISTENSEN, OF PORTLAND,

' MAINE.

METHOD OF FORMING TURNBUCKLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,944, dated July 18, 1905. Application filed July 13. I904- Serial No. 216,419.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that we, WALTER J. LAUGHLIN and FREDERIcK A. CHRISTENSEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Forming Turnbuckles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in the method of forming turnbuckles, and is embodied in the steps presently to be described, and defined in the claim. In the manufacture of sWivel-turnbuckles it has long been recognized that the construction should be of that character which renders the entire structure uniform as to strength and durability. In that turnbuckles are usually employed under heavy strains it has been found inexpedient or largely unsatisfactory to cast the same. However, it has been the practice heretofore to form the frames with a dropforge and to put the swivel-eye in the frame after the ends of the frames had been suitably fashioned by boring or reaming to permit the insertionof the stem of the eye. To put the swivel-eye in a drop-forged buckle, it

' has heretofore been thecustom to cut a round steel or iron bar or rod to proper length, upset the end of the bar to form a head, pass the outer end first through the bore in the end of the buckle or frame, and then bend the outer end of the bar or rod around to form a loop or eye, welding the free end to the body of the bar. The objections to this method are the numerous operations which are required, and the more serious objection a welded joint, which is uncertain and unreliable as to maintaining its connection. It has also been suggested heretofore to dropforge a malleable eye and cast a malleable frame member around the end of the eye. This method, however, is objectionable, in that the malleable frame is brittle and liable to break.

The present invention is designed to overcome the objections above recited; and it consists largely in forming a turnbuckle with a pivot-eye member, the entire construction being formed by drop-forging, thereby resulting in a turnbuckle having all of its parts and portions of uniform strength and durability.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the finished article in Figure 1, and in Fig. 2 the article just prior to the formation of the head on the stem of the eye. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a clamp holding the buckle frame and eye in position and the drop-forging die in an elevated position. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the forging-die; Fig. 5, a perspective view of one portion of the clamping member; and Fig. 6 is a section through the frame, showing one part of the clamp removed, the eye in elevation, and the forming-die in the final position assumed in the act of forming the head.

A designates a frame; B, an eye having a head C. The stem of the eye passes through a longitudinal bore or perforation D in the end of the frame, as is usual. In carrying out the method the frame A is first formed by drop-forging the same in a well-known manner. The bore D is then made through the end. The eye B, having a straight shank, as shown in Fig. 2, is then formed by dropforging and the stem is inserted through the bore D of the frame, as shown in Fig. 2. In this position a suitable clamp E is placed around the end of the frame and embraces the eye, as shown in Fig. 3. The clamp is constructed conveniently of like or complementary parts, each of which has its inner face cut or formed with a recess the shape of which corresponds to the shape of onehalf of the eye and the lower part of the frame, as shown in Fig. 5. The upper portion of the clamping members are so fashioned as to completely surround the side bars of the frame A and the cylindrical stem portion of the eye B when the two clamping members are together, as shown in Fig. 8. By this means after the clamp is properly set in the press the frame, as well as the eye, will be rigidly held in place, the stem of the eye protruding slightly above the top of the clamp F designates the forging-die, designed for attachment in any well-known manner to a forging press or machine. This die has conveniently an offset portion G of a width less than the distance between the side bars of the frame A, so that the offset may be passed into the frame between the side bars. The lower end of the offset portion of the die F is formed with a cup-shaped depression H, shaped to conform to the desired shape of the head of the eye.

In operation the stem portion of the eye is first heated, then inserted through the bore of the frame until the loop portion rests against the frame. In this position the members are clamped firmly in place. The die F is then forced down onto the protruding end of the stem of the eye, and the head 0 is thus formed on the stem. The parts of the clamp surrounding the stem within the frame serve as an anvil or base against which the upset metal cedure it will be observed that a finished ar- 3 ticle is produced of absolute uniformity throughout in its texture-one thathas no welded joints, no cast portions, and no removable portions, thereby providing an article of the maximum degree of strength and durability.

It is to be understood that the method may be used for other purposes and that the invention is not specifically limited to the special steps recited or the specific article shown, as changes and modifications can be made without departing-from the principle of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

The method of manufacturing turnbuckles consisting of placing the stem of an eye in the bore of a frame, clamping the stem within the frame, and forming by pressure the head on the stem while it is in a clamped position.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER J. LAUGHLIN. FREDERICK A. CHRISTENSEN.

Witnesses:

C. R. DUFFETT, FREDERIC J. LAUGHLIN. 

